Secrecy and radioactive gunk would be an explosive combination, says george hay
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Football managers excepted, we Brits don't do bungs: it offends our sense of fair play. Given that we don't like nuclear waste much either, you'd think the government would avoid combining the two. That, however, may not be possible.
Over the past 50 years, UK nuclear power stations have amassed 478,000 cubic metres of toxic gunk that has to be safely disposed of in a deep hole somewhere. Given that no one in his right mind is going to actively volunteer to take it, the Government's Committee on Radioactive Waste Management (CORWM) has looked abroad and come up with a solution worthy of any football agent: offer the host community a bribe.
The CORWM report doesn't put it that way, of course. Compliant towns will be offered 'community packages', full of goodies such as funding for better roads, swimming pools and
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| The mere suggestion of secret deals to house dangerous waste in inappropriate venues could prove disastrous |
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even lump sums to homeowners to offset any negative effect on their house price. The Government also hopes that community leaders will be swayed by the jobs that a £6bn scheme would bring to their area.
Although this all sounds a bit dodgy, nuclear experts agree that it's the only real option - with the proviso that the selection of the communities is undertaken with proper consultation and transparency.
Which is why it's crucial that Defra's Secretary of State, David Miliband, sets the right tone when he responds to CORWM's recommendations this week.
Given the emotive (and often irrational) fear of nuclear power in the UK, the mere suggestion of secret deals to house dangerous waste in inappropriate venues could prove disastrous.
Given that New Labour is not exactly well-known for its lofty pursuit of transparency (see Honoursgate, Blunkettgate and so on), this can't be guaranteed. But it's vital. Otherwise, 'Labour's secret stitch-up with greedy councillors over lethal nuclear waste' headlines await.
FIRST POSTED OCTOBER 23, 2006
 Robert Matthews on why Britain needs nuclear power
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